No One Mourns the Wicked
by Gin'er
Summary: After absorbing her own death curse, Regina finds herself on the cusp of life and death. With seemingly no one left who cares about her, she isn't all that certain which outcome she's rooting for. Will Henry and Emma give her a reason to fight? SwanQueen
1. No Good Deed

Regina reached out to steady herself against the doorframe, closing her eyes to ward off the vertigo that was threatening to send her sprawling head first into her own foyer.

A wave of nausea was rippling up from her abdomen and her limbs were beginning to shake. What had started as an uncomfortable tick in her fingers was now a fully blown spasm that was painfully racking her arms and legs and squirming its way through her torso.

With more force that she thought herself able to muster, she pushed herself upright, staggered across the threshold to her house and closed the door behind her.

This mammoth effort over, she fell back against the wood – the barrier which now stood between her and the rest of the world. The world that she had not thirty minutes ago been trying protect from the poison that was her mother. The world that was now celebrating good's triumph over evil in the warm and welcoming light of Granny's.

_Shut up! _ She whispered harshly to herself. Self-pity was for the commoner, the weak and pathetic fool who expected life to hand them gifts and turned into a wailing child when what they instead received was a slap to the face. Or a hand in the chest.

It was not for a queen.

Regina knew that if she gave into her pain now she would spend the rest of the night exactly where she was, slumped over on the floor in the entry way. And she'd be damned if she'd settle for sleeping on the ground like some street urchin.

She dragged herself up the stairs; teeth bared and sweat pouring from her brow. If anyone had been watching she would have been embarrassed by the undignified way that her body refused to cooperate. But as the teasing and taunting voice reminded her, in tones not unlike those of her former mentor Rumplestiltskin, there was no one watching. She was alone.

Again.

Always.

_Enough! _She chided herself. This line of thought would get her nowhere.

Upstairs at last she made to move in the direction of her own room but paused as she moved past Henry's doorway.

In an act of sentimentality, the likes of which she reserved solely for her son, she shuffled into Henry's bedroom – inhaling the scent of him as she went and using it as a salve for her wounds.

She limped over to the bed and half fell onto its soft mattress. She stretched her still shaking hands up to wrap around his pillow, pulling it to her body as she curled herself around it.

The hard task of getting upstairs now over, she allowed herself to catalogue the full extent of the damage to her body. Her head was pounding, the pain swelling behind her eyelids and making her vision swim. Hot, sharp jabs were now lighting up inside of her, spreading their wicked tongues into places she didn't even know she could hurt.

_Well_, she thought, _a death curse is generally not intended to be imbibed._

But imbibe it she had. She'd drawn the green and toxic energy into herself and for what? A son who would never again be hers. A boy that now looked into green eyes so different from her own and said "Mom".

In a room that was already losing all signs of Henry's presence, Regina pulled herself into the foetal position and prayed that the curse would work quickly.

**That's all for now folks. Let me know if you think it's worth continuing.**


	2. Popular

**Thanks for the feedback guys! As you can see it inspired a speedy second chapter.**

Emma was finding it difficult to see straight. She felt like her nerve endings had been put in a blender.

The wraith. Fairytale Land. Cora. The portal.

It was a giant swirling mess inside her consciousness and the one beer that she'd had since getting to Granny's was well and truly amping up the spin cycle.

On top of all that she still wasn't entirely sure she'd come to grips with fact that she was the offspring of Snow White and Prince Charming who were her parents... but her age...and simultaneously the good friends she's still been getting to know as Mary Margaret and David.

She felt like her entire life since Henry had shown up at her door in Boston had been played like a series of surprise birthday party moments. Not that she was complaining about the way things had turned out. Henry was amazing and having parents while weird was wonderful. It was something she'd dreamed about her entire life.

So no, she wasn't finding fault with her new life. She just wished it would slow down a bit.

"Mom, can I get another milkshake?"

Mom, that would take some getting used to as well. Another wonderful but weird.

"Sure kid," she immediately replied.

The look of pure delight on his face had two effects on Emma. One, she realised she'd do anything to keep that look on her sons face now that they were reunited. And two, she was probably being a really irresponsible parent if he was that pleased.

_Ah, what the hell, _she thought to herself, _you're only ten once right? Let the kid have another milkshake._

As if in response a voice that sounded suspiciously like Regina's started listing nutritional requirements for growing boys in a stern but obviously concerned voice.

Regina.

That pulled Emma up short.

Just the thought of her son's adopted mother was enough to send her into another spin these days. The woman was an absolute mystery. In fairy-tale land Emma had been almost murderous with rage whenever she had thought of the dark haired witch. This was the tyrant who had separated her family and cursed them all to lives of unhappy endings.

She had been ready to go all Rambo on Regina as soon as they got back from the Enchanted Forest. And then they'd climbed up that well and Henry had called her "Mom" and Regina had been looking at her with that odd, half pained and half admiring smile.

And all thoughts of vengeance had been well and truly wiped clean from her mind.

She still wasn't sure what it was she felt for the woman who had raised her son. There was anger there, definitely. A lot of envy too. A little pity, which she was sure Regina would hate her for.

But there was also something else. Something that wanted to protect Regina and help her follow through on this quest for redemption – a quest which Henry had assured Emma that Regina was on.

Maybe it was the saviour thing, the white knight inside her that couldn't help but try to rescue the damsel in distress.

Or maybe it was that Emma saw so much of the same kind of hurt she'd tried to hide in her own face in Regina's eyes. If Cora was anything to go by then their pasts were not all that different.

Emma had thought about inviting Regina to this gathering tonight. She deserved it for saving them. But in the end she'd taken her cue from Henry – trusting that he knew his mother better than she did and he'd know whether she wanted to be asked or not.

It was probably a wise choice. She couldn't see Regina finding Leroy's impersonation of a walrus with bread sticks as amusing as the rest of the diner seemed to.

Still, Emma thought ,she should go over to the mansion personally and thank Regina for everything she'd done to help Snow and her return. It was the right thing to do and besides, there were a lot of conversations that needed to be had about Henry's future now that he had both his Mom's in the picture.

The room was still spinning slightly and Henry was looking up at her with his face half buried inside his giant milkshake and it was so nice and warm inside Granny's – with the laughter of the relieved citizens of Storybrooke washing over her.

_Tomorrow_, Emma thought_, I'll thank Regina tomorrow._


	3. Something Bad

Emma had been alternately retreating from and approaching Regina Mills door for close to fifteen minutes. Each time she thought she'd prepared herself to ring the doorbell an unbidden doubt would surface.

What is she's asleep?

What if she's in the middle of something?

What if she doesn't want to see me?

This last worry was the most pressing. She kept picturing the refined sneer that Regina wore so well, accompanied by a voice dripping with contempt. _"What do you want now Miss Swan? Haven't you disturbed me enough for one lifetime?"_

The only reason she hadn't walked away completely was that Henry knew she was here. He'd practically begged to come along and she'd managed to placate him by pointing out that the only way they could start operating like a remotely functioning family was for his mothers' to be able to communicate. Alone.

He hadn't been happy but he'd gone along with it, after extricating a promise from her that she'd pass along a message. She couldn't go home now with nothing to show for the visit but a sheepish confession that she hadn't even gone inside his old house.

Besides, Emma Swan was not the 'tail between the legs' type. She'd just battled ogres and witches and giants and a lecherous pirate for gods-sakes! How hard could this one conversation be after all that?

Ten minutes later and she still hadn't moved.

Finally, sick of her own faltering, Emma strode forward and pressed a wilful finger to the doorbell, before she found the opportunity to back out again.

She withdrew her hand quickly and took a step back, exhaling as if she'd just finished a particularly arduous race. She could hear the high pitched ringing echoing up the Mayor's massive staircase and she pictured it dispersing, scattering into the corners of each impeccably decorated room.

Emma steeled herself for the verbal tirade that she was sure was about to descend at any moment.

But it never came.

No heels clicked on the tiled surface of the Mifflin Street house. It didn't even sound as if it's occupant had stirred.

Emma pressed the bell again, leaning a bit more insistently to show that she wasn't going away. The door remained steadfastly shut. And the mansion stayed silent.

"Regina?" Emma called out. "Are you home?"

Again there was no reply.

Concern prickled up Emma's spine. In all of the scenarios she'd imagined for this particular encounter – an absent Regina hadn't featured.

Where could the woman be?

It wasn't a Wednesday so the mausoleum was unlikely. Henry was back at the Charming's apartment so she wasn't with him.

Did the dark haired woman have any friends?

The question added a peculiar brand of sorrow and guilt to her mass of swirling emotions. If Regina Mills had struck up any friendships in the twenty eight years she'd been in Storybrooke, then the knowledge that their illustrious Mayor was actually the Evil Queen would have well and truly severed those tenuous bonds with the townsfolk.

_Typical_, thought Emma, _Trust Regina to make breaking an evil curse feel like something I should apologise for._

Without really expecting it to work, Emma tested the doorknob. It turned easily and the door swung open.

_Okay, take concern and officially update it to worry._

Regina Mills was an intensely private and secure person in a town full of enemies who had recently gone old school lynch mob on her. Emma couldn't see her just forgetting to lock her front door.

Abandoning all the lingering, optimistic thoughts that were suggesting that Regina simply hadn't heard her, Emma stepped quickly into the house and called out again. Louder this time.

"Regina? Are you here?"

The faintest groan travelled down the marble staircase and into Emma's alerted ears. At any other time Ruby would have been the only Storybrooke citizen capable of detecting the pale sound but Emma's senses were on high alert.

The second the noise registered she picked up the pace, jumping the stairs two at a time. She headed for the room the moan had originated from – Henry's.

Poised at the threshold, Emma pressed her ear against the door and heard another soft cry. This time she was close enough to recognise that the utterance was laced with pain. With one last steadying breath, she pushed the door open.

Curled up on Henry's bed, facing away from her, Regina's form was a shocking sight. Her back was rigid, her extremities shaking.

"Regina?" Emma's voice was so much smaller than she ever thought it could be.

"Ah...Miss Swan." Regina's words sounded like they had crawled out of a cracked and bleeding throat. "Just when I thought this couldn't get any more painful."

"Just when you thought what couldn't get any more painful?" Emma asked with trepidation.

She could practically hear the eye roll in Regina's response.

"My death of course."

**Once again, thanks for the reviews guys! I really appreciate your feedback. I just hope I'm living up to your standards.**


	4. One Short Day

**Okay, enough with these 'setting the scene' chapters. Let's get some story happening shall we!**

"Y..your what? Regina what is going on? What's wrong with you?"

With great difficulty, Regina rolled onto her back and locked eyes with the Saviour. She looked terrible. Her skin was pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. The heavy streaks of purple under her eyes painted the picture of an entirely sleepless night. _How long has she been like this? _Emma wondered.

"Death, my dear. I'm dying. Now please don't make me repeat everything – I'm in rather a great deal of pain."

As she spoke Emma noticed that Regina's bottom lip was littered with bite marks, as if she'd been clamping down on it to hold back screams. Which in all likelihood, the blonde realised, she had.

She softened her voice before speaking again, taking on the tone of a visitor in a hospital. "Regina, I don't understand. Why do you think you're dying?"

"I don't think, Miss Swan, I know. One of the unfortunate side effects of a death curse is, I'm afraid, death. I know that magic is new to you but hopefully this concept is not beyond your comprehension."

Only Regina Mills could snark from her deathbed. Each word out of her mouth seemed to be dragged from some place painful but she persevered, unwilling to let a little thing like agony stand in the way of a good put down.

"The spell you put over the well to stop your mother coming through? That's what's doing this to you?"

Emma felt like an idiot. She should have considered the possibility that removing that spell would have had side effects on Regina as soon as Henry told her about it. Like Rumplestiltskin was so fond of reminding everyone – all magic comes with a price.

As with everything that had happened since the curse broke, Emma felt like she was in an absurd play, one where everyone had learned their lines except her. Each new development was a kick to the senses and she was struggling to keep up.

"Yes, it is. Now if you'll excuse me this whole experience was perfectly noble until you showed up. I won't have you turning my final scenes into a farce."

"Okay, Regina enough! I get that you're in pain and I get that I'm a magical moron but how about you lay off the insults and start explaining some of this shit to me. Because if you think I'm going to just leave you here to die then you haven't really read the Saviour job description recently."

Regina drew in a large breath. Even taking in air looked like a struggle. She shut her eyes as she concentrated on inhaling and exhaling, gathering all her strength for the conversation to come.

"The death curse," she began slowly, "In order to remove it from the well I had to draw it into my own body. Which it is now attacking."

Emma nodded, absorbing the information as best she could.

"So...so it's kind of like a cancer then?" she asked uncertainly.

Regina wanted to give a sharp and wounding response but she swallowed it, if only for the sake of shortening this exchange with the blonde haired blight on her life.

"Kind of." she conceded.

"Okay, well then we just need the magical version of chemo right? What would that be?"

"Your guess would be as good as mine. As far as I know, no one has ever survived a death curse." 

Her matter of fact resignation was starting to frustrate Emma. This was the woman who had threatened her with grievous bodily harm upon her entry into Henry's life. Where was that fire now, when she really needed it? Where was her fight?

Then she put the pieces together.

"You knew this was going to happen didn't you? When you took the curse off you knew that it was going to kill you?"

Regina's silence spoke volumes.

"Then why did you do it?" whispered Emma bewilderingly.

Brown eyes, glossed over and yet still piercing, met green.

"Because Henry asked me to."

Emma could feel her frustration rising again. "Jesus Christ Regina! Why didn't you just explain what would happen to him. He wouldn't have asked if he'd known it was going to kill you!"

Regina furrowed her brow, as though in confusion. Her eyes searched every inch of Emma's face for signs of mockery or jest. She found none.

"You can't really believe that?" Regina asked slowly, as though marvelling that anyone could be so naive.

Emma shook her head in disbelief. Did Regina actually think that Henry would knowingly sacrifice her in order to save his birth mother?

"Look, there are obviously some issues here that need to be addressed. How about we do that after we've saved your life."

"And how do you propose we do tha..." Regina cut off mid sentence as a sharp and penetrating pain flared through her. She curled in on herself again, drawing her knees up to her chest. She gasped for air as the hurt pulled at her insides.

Emma rushed over to the side of the bed, gesturing helplessly. She didn't know what to do. Any kind of comfort she tried to show could just end up hurting Regina more. She needed back up.

"Regina, hold on okay. I'm going to get help."

"No...please," Regina sounded terrified, her fear overwhelming her desire to look strong and in control. There was no room left in her battered body for embarrassment. "I don't want to be alone again."

Conflicting emotions wrestled for supremacy inside Emma. She couldn't do this on her own, wouldn't know where to start. But she couldn't leave, not after a plea like that.

"It's all right I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I'm just going call Mary Margaret and David okay?"

Regina nodded, relieved that she wouldn't have to go back into the hole of solitude she'd been dwelling in the entire night. Only one plaguing thought remained to trouble her.

"But don't...don't tell Henry about this."

"Regina he has a right to know!"

"Don't! I don't want him to ...to see me like this."

Emma couldn't understand the brunette's request. If she were in pain Henry would be the first person she'd want by her side. He was certainly much better at this bedside comfort thing than she was. But seeing the strain Regina was under, she didn't want to question her. Better to keep her happy and calm - save her strength for more important things. Like kicking this curses ass.

"Okay, fine. Henry gets the PG version. Understood."

Relief flooded Regina's face for the briefest of moments before it was twisted into another mask of torture. Her entire body was shaking now and she was giving off a faint green glow.

She was running out of time.

Emma pulled out her cellphone and called the Charming's apartment. Each ring it gave filled her with anxiety.

_Come on, pick up!_ she thought desperately.

Finally she heard the click of the set being taken off the receiver.

"Hello, Charming Swan Mills residence."

"Henry," Emma breathed hurriedly "Is Mary Margaret there?"

"Oh hey! Did you visit my Mom yet? Did you give her my message?"

"Ah not yet buddy. I actually really need to speak to Mary Margaret, can you pass the phone over to her please kid."

Henry gave an exasperated sigh.

"Don't forget to tell her when you see her! That was the deal remember?"

"Yes Henry, I remember. Now can you please give the phone to Mary Margaret."

Emma was desperately trying to keep the panic out of her voice. Henry was a smart kid and if he sensed that something was up he wasn't going to let it go. He was like both of his mother's in that respect.

"Okay, okay, I'm passing it over. Jeez, nice to talk to you too."

She heard him call out for "Grandma" and the shuffle of feet as took her the phone. Another minute later and Mary Margaret's voice came down the line.

"Emma?"

"Mary Margaret, is Henry still in the room?"

"Yes...why?"

"Okay, just listen. I need you to make sure that everything you say is calm and sort of neutral. He can't know what's going on."

"All riiight."

Emma could already hear Henry in the background. _"What's going on, why didn't she want to talk to me?"_

"Regina's in a bad way. That curse she removed from the well - it's inside her now and...well let's just say I don't think she has much time."

There was a weighted pause from the other end of the phone. Emma knew that Regina was still a sore spot for Mary Margaret but she was praying that her famously good and forgiving heart would win out in this situation. She needed all the help she could get and a fired up Snow White could be surprisingly badass.

"What do you need me to do?"

Emma wanted to kiss the phone.

"Find out anything you can about death curses and how to stop them. As much as I don't like it you're probably going to have to go to Gold. He might be the only one who can help us."

"I understand."

"I don't want you going on your own though. I know David's not exactly Regina's biggest fan but do you think you can convince him to tag along?"

Mary Margaret's next words were obviously said through a smile. "Leave your father to me, I'm sure I can think of something to get him on board."

Images of the two in bed together came flooding back and it was all Emma could do to keep from choking back an incredibly juvenile '_Ewww'._

"Thanks. Oh and don't tell Henry anything! Regina doesn't want him to know."

"That might be a little difficult Em. He's a curious kid." She said the words affectionately but Emma could tell she was genuinely concerned about whether or not she could keep this from him.

As if on cue his voice popped up again. _"Who's a curious kid? Are you guys talking about me?"_

"I know. Just... do the best you can. Hopefully we'll get this sorted out soon and we can tell him about it once it's all blown over and Regina's safe."

"Hopefully." Even the ever optimistic Mary Margaret couldn't keep the sorrowful scepticism from her voice. "What are you going to do?"

Emma took in another deep breath. Any more of these and she'd probably burst from over oxygenation.

"I'm going to stay here and keep an eye on Regina. She shouldn't be alone right now."

The unspoken knowledge that Regina had spent so much time alone already sat heavy between them.

"Good luck," said Mary Margaret quietly "I'll call as soon as I know anything. I love you."

"I love you too." Emma responded mechanically but hoped that her mother wouldn't notice. How many weird but wonderful encounters was it going to take before she got used to all of this?

When she heard the dial tone in her ear she returned the cellphone to her coat pocket and turned her attention back to Regina, who was watching her through a haze of bloodshot veins.

"Well...?" Her voice was cracking again, her control slipping.

"The Charming's are on the case."

"How comforting," Regina said dryly. "And Henry?"

"Is none the wiser," Emma assured. "That reminds me, he made me promise to pass on a message for you."

"Mmmm...?"

"He said he's glad that you had faith in him. And that he'll see you soon."

Tears welled up in Regina's eyes, ones clearly of love and not of pain. Emma knew that their relationship was strained at the moment but it was obvious to her how much Regina and Henry cared about each other. There had to be a way for them to all get what they needed without anyone getting hurt.

"And guess what, Regina? In order for him to see you soon – you actually have to be alive. You don't want to make a liar out of our kid now do you?"

"Our kid?" Regina's question was heartbreakingly hopeful.

"Hell yeah, our kid! I have no intentions of doing this by myself. He's going to be a teenager soon and you know what that means don't you? Puberty and girls and pimples and peer pressure. You really going to leave all that in my hands?"

A small, gasping laugh issued from Regina. It was immediately followed by a racking cough that left her lips spotted with blood. As another spasm took hold of her body she let out a keening and prolonged cry. It was almost animalistic.

Frightened, Emma reached out and grabbed one of Regina's hands – not caring whether she was overstepping any boundaries. She squeezed lightly, trying to reassure the sick woman but not wanting to hurt her.

"Regina! You're going to be okay. I promise."

They both knew that the words were hollow. Neither of them could say if Regina was going to be okay. But the sentiment was heartfelt and appreciated.

Not trusting her voice, Regina decided to let her actions speak. With all the strength she could muster, she squeezed back.


	5. The Wizard and I

**Thank you all so much for the reviews and follows and favourites! I've been overwhelmed by your support. Now, where were we...**

"I just want to state, for the record, that I'm only here for Emma. She's the only reason I'm doing this."

Snow rolled her eyes and shot a side longed look at her husband.

"So you've said sweetie."

Charming shrugged unapologetically. "I just want it understood."

"Yes, yes you're only here for Emma. Regina is the devil. I've got it! Can we just get on with this?"

An awkward and tense silence strung itself between them, coarse like a rope. The closer they'd gotten to Gold's shop the more on edge the two of them had become. Charming would have been the first to point out they they weren't afraid – no way! They just knew they had to be cautious. Rumplestiltskin had a way of pulling the carpet out from under your feet.

And neither one of them could say how far they'd fall if he tried anything like that today.

On the steps of the darkened store, Snow was regretting her hurried promise to Emma. It wasn't that she didn't want to help Regina. Lord knows there's was a complicated relationship - even she couldn't say how she felt about her former step-mother – but Snow didn't want to see her hurt.

She also didn't want to disappoint Emma They were just starting to feel comfortable around one another and she desperately wanted that to continue. Snow knew what a big deal it was for her to ask for help and she wasn't going to bail the first time Emma came to her for something important.

Wrestling all of her nagging doubts to the back of her mind, Snow pushed the door open, the bell issuing a soft ring throughout the store.

She could feel Charming close at her back and was comforted by the strong heat his body was giving off. She couldn't have done this without him and she appreciated his presence – even if it had been difficult to secure.

The shuffle of feet came from the back room, as did the sound of Gold's cane striking the floor. Another few seconds and he was striding out from behind the curtain, an amused and knowing look on his impish face.

"Well, well, well," he intoned smoothly "To what do I owe this royal pleasure?"

His words might as well have been hissed in the manner of a snake. Snow had the feeling that Gold knew exactly why they were there and was taking great joy in what had to be their obvious discomfort.

"We've come about Regina," said Snow in a voice that sounded stronger than she currently felt.

"I see." Now there was a definite smugness to his voice and a small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. "And how is our dear Mayor? Feeling a little..._green_ around the gills is she?"

"I think you know exactly how she is Gold!" burst Charming. His tone was sharp and pointed like the sword he loved so much.

Snow could have hit him. They had agreed that she would do all the talking and that Charming would only be there for back up. If there was one tactic that wouldn't work with Rumplestiltskin, it was throwing a tantrum.

"Temper, temper. You really should try to work on that your highness. It's not at all a becoming trait."

"Please Mr Gold," Snow pleaded "Do you know what's happening to Regina."

Rumplestiltskin looked as though he would have very much liked to continue berating David for his poor manners. As it was though his own loyalty to etiquette dictated that he answer the question.

"Well I'd imagine that little spell she inhaled is giving her quite a bit of trouble. Death curses are funny like that."

"Can we stop it?" Snow asked.

"The death curse? There are a few remedies that I've come across in my time."

Charming let his impatience best him again, furious that Gold seemed to be treating this like a game. "Well? What are they?"

A serpentine coldness flashed in Gold's eyes, a warning that despite his light tone he was growing angry with the Prince's insolence. His voice slithered, slow and deliberate.

"And how exactly would passing on this information benefit me? Hmm? What gifts can the darlings of the Enchanted Forest promise me in exchange for Regina's cure?"

Snow took a deep breath, aware that the next few minutes were critical. If she wasn't careful she'd be walking out with answers for Emma and a pair of cuffs for herself.

"What do you want?" she asked hesitantly.

Rumplestiltskin stroked his chin, a mock portrait of thoughtfulness.

"I'd say a hair from each of you should do the trick."

Charming cut in again, suspicious and wary. "What do you want with our hair?"

"What can I say, I'm sentimental." At the cutting looks he received from both the Charming's Gold decided to desist with his teasing, for now. "My spells often call for a variety of hard to get ingredients. There'll be no adverse affects for either of you I can promise that."

Snow and Charming exchanged looks, asking silent questions of each other.

Gold watched them closely."Well, do we have a deal?"

Plucking a hair from her own head. Snow placed the dark strand in Gold's open palm. After a few seconds of hesitation Charming did the same. Gold closed his fist over the hairs greedily, slipping them into a nearby tube. He watched while the hairs intertwined and gave off their trademark pink glow before stashing the tube beneath the wooden counter.

"Wonderful," he said, dusting his hands off. "Now, onto the matter at hand."

Gold splayed his hands on the counter, leaning forward as if in excitement. The theatricality of the moment was clearly a delight to him. He was the puppet master and he reveled in his role.

"True love will of course break any curse. Though I don't think the stable boy is quite up to giving kisses do you?"

Charming went to angrily interrupt again but Snow placed a calming hand on his chest, not wanting to prolong this conversation. The deal having been struck she just wanted to get the information they needed and get out.

"Are you saying true love is the only thing to stop a death curse?"

"Do you really think I'd have had you pluck hairs from those terribly pretty heads if all I had to share was bad news?" Gold tutted. "There is one other way."

He came out from behind the counter now, limping towards them and coming to rest uncomfortably close to Snow. This was all a part of the performance she realised, another rehearsed act to draw out the drama of it all.

"What do you know of conduits?" he asked silkily.

"Conduits?" Snow asked, puzzled. "You mean like electrical conduits?"

"The principle is the same in science as it is in magic," Gold acknowledged "When an energy source is too great for the vessel housing it a conduit is needed to funnel off the excess power."

"Do you have one of these magical conduits?" asked Snow hopefully.

"Naturally, I have all manner of devices in my shop. But I'm afraid that won't help Mayor Mills any."

"Why not?" Snow tried and failed to keep her voice calm, her patience wearing thin.

"Because the deal between us was for tactics, not trinkets. I'm afraid as helpful as a little true love will be for my potion stores it doesn't buy a conduit."

"What will?" Snow asked.

But Gold was already retreating to the back of the shop, signalling an end to their discussion.

"You have nothing more I want dearie. It looks like Regina's out of luck. A pity, she was an awfully good administrator."

With that final jibe he disappeared behind the dark and heavy curtains, leaving stunned and hopeless silence in his wake.

Snow looked up at her husband with desperation plastered across her face. "What are we going to tell Emma?"

* * *

Emma listened carefully to her mother's retelling of the events at Gold's. She tried to keep her responses minimal and indifferent, not wanting to alert Regina to the fact that they'd come up short. The dark haired woman may have been in unspeakable pain but Emma knew she was listening carefully to every word that was said – trying to piece the story together.

With a final "_Ok, thanks" _Emma pressed the 'end' button on her phone and placed it on Henry's bed side table.

Attempting to school her features into a blank expression, Emma looked up into Regina's clouded eyes. Within a few seconds she knew that her poker face wasn't successful. The same look of resignation she'd been wearing when Emma first arrived settled back onto Regina's face and she looked away.

"He wouldn't help."

She said it as though the statement was no surprise to her, as if she'd never expected her former mentor to lend a hand in saving her life. Regina was used to people turning their backs on her by now.

"Not exactly," Emma admitted. "He told us how to save you. He said we'd need a...conduit? He just wouldn't give us one."

"A conduit, of course." Regina breathed. She sounded like a student who'd been shown the answer to a very easy question on a quiz.

"Yeah. Do you know where we can get one?" asked Emma hopefully.

Regina was already shaking her head. "In order for a conduit to withstand magic it has to have magical properties. I used the last of my magic objects opening a portal to get that apple."

The memory of this, of sacrificing Daniel's ring and ultimately poisoning Henry rolled inside like a wave , spreading an awful sinking guilt into every part of her.

"Okay, well there must be somewhere else we can get a magical object." Emma urged. Despite racking her brain for an answer Emma couldn't think of anything. She didn't even know anyone else who had magic apart from Gold and Regina.

And herself.

"Regina..."she started breathlessly. "Can a magical person be a conduit?"

Regina furrowed her brow and pondered the surprisingly insightful question. "I...I don't know. Maybe. It's possible that siphoning the curse out of me and into another magical person would destroy it. That person's magic would have to be light though, otherwise they wouldn't be able to fight the darkness of the curse."

"That's it then!" exclaimed Emma excitedly.

"But that won't help us." Regina's voice was breaking up again. "Even if Gold were willing to help us his magic isn't light. And the fairies aren't powerful enough to withstand something like this. Who else is there?"

"Me!"

They could both hear the crackling in Regina's lungs as she took in air, her breathing hitched as shock hiccuped in her chest.

"You?"

"I have magic! In the Enchanted Forest Cora tried to take my heart but she couldn't. Gold told me that it was because I've got magic. And I'm magical because I'm the product of true love – so that's got to mean my magic's light right? I can be your conduit!"

Regina tried to sit up but quickly buckled against the aches that were flooding her limbs. Ignoring the fact that the movement was causing her head to swim and her vision to become spotty she began shaking her head violently.

"No!" she said vehemently.

Emma was bewildered. "What do you mean no? Yes! This is it, this is the plan."

Regina continued to shake her head. "It's too dangerous. You could be killed and we don't even know if it would work. Who will take care of Henry if we're both dead?"

Emma wasn't backing down.

"Look I know I'm new to this magic thing but if I can fight off your mother that must mean I'm pretty powerful. Regina I can do this! I want to do this!"

"I'm not willing to take the chance." said Regina with an air of finality. "I won't let Henry be alone."

Emma didn't know what to say. It was obvious that Regina had made up her mind. And if there was one thing Emma knew, if was that once Regina made up her mind about something that was it, there was no changing it.

"What are we going to do then?"

Regina fixed her with a steely gaze that must have taken all of her energy. She was vibrating with the strain of concentration, determined to say her piece while she still had the strength and presence of mind to speak.

"You're going to let me die. And then, when it's over, you're going to go home and take care of our son. That is what we're going to do. You have to promise me."

"Regina...no...I ca..."

"Emma, promise me!"

The use of her first name made Emma pause. Sensing that the blonde's resolve was weakening Regina reached for Emma's hand and clasped it tightly, conveying everything that didn't need to be said aloud in order to be communicated between the two women.

With nothing left in her arsenal – no weapons of steel or miraculous kisses – Emma had nothing to offer Regina but her word.

"I promise."


	6. As Long as You're Mine

Regina had been drifting in and out of consciousness for a few hours now. Emma had been watching on helplessly, unable to comfort the woman.

She didn't know how to do any of this. She didn't know how to take away hurts. And she really didn't how she was supposed to be coping with the fact that she was just a useless spectator in this horrifying death scene.

Each time Regina called out in her sleep Emma would rest a reassuring hand on her arm, whispering platitudes she wasn't even sure Regina could hear. It was all she could do and it was maddening.

She felt so passive. _Give me a monster to fight any day_, she thought, _anything but this awful waiting._

Emotionally, Emma was exhausted. She was definitely dealing with things far beyond her maturity level. It was confusing, dizzyingly so. Thoughts and feelings were tearing through her like a tornado through a wheat field, churning up and depositing parts of her all over the place.

The cyclical nature of her thoughts were driving her crazy and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't shut them off.

_Regina's going to die._

_She can't die._

_What can I do?_

_Nothing._

_If I do nothing, she'll die._

_Regina's going to die._

_She can't die._

_She can't die!_

That last particular thought was echoing the loudest, screaming itself inside her head. The thought of Regina not being a part of hers and Henry's life was making her feel physically ill. And the worst part about it all was that she couldn't say for certain why that was.

Regina was a human being of course, deserving of the same level of compassion she'd show anyone. And she knew that Henry would be devastated if his mother died. But what she felt, the strength of her body's reaction to what was happening went beyond any of that.

If she'd had enough time, she was sure she could start to sort out some of these feelings. But she didn't have enough time, not even close.

So she continued to sit at Regina's bedside and, though it killed her, do nothing.

_Some saviour_, she thought bitterly.

* * *

Regina felt feverish, a haze of heat clouding her mind and issuing chills up and down her already tired and beaten body.

She was vaguely aware of someone else in the room, someone who told her pretty things in soft and gentle tones.

Regina was hurting but this voice made her feel safe and taken care of, as if nothing truly bad could happen to her while those soothing words were wrapping themselves around her. She tried to reach out towards the softness but found that she couldn't move, her arms heavy and laden with the burden of pain.

She tried to speak, to thank the voice for caring, but her tongue too was weighed down and sluggish, unable to curl itself around the words she wanted to say.

_What was wrong with her?_ she wondered. _Was she sick?_

Regina couldn't remember ever having been sick before. Her mother's magics were always quick to cut off any approaching cough or sniffle. Cora had much more important matters to attend to than the simpering of an ill child and she wouldn't abide by the mess that illness brought.

So if she was sick, Regina reasoned, then that must mean her mother wasn't around. The notion in itself was a source comfort.

_But then who was taking care of her?_

Her brain struggled against her demand for answers. She felt she should know these things, should understand what was happening to her and know who the voice belonged to. She could feel the knowledge squirming away, lost under the folds of the heavy blanket of fever.

Only flashes came to her. Flashes of tender hands that she felt were safe enough to leave her heart in. She seized upon these memories, sure that they would provide her with the answers she was looking for.

Her digging yielded a name. _Of course_, she thought. _It couldn't be anyone else._

She knew who the voice belonged to now. As if in reward for her struggle, her tongue lodged itself free and spoke his name.

"Daniel."

* * *

"Regina?"

At first Emma wasn't sure she'd heard right.

Regina had spoken so softly that is was possible she'd gotten it wrong. She leaned forward and angled her ear closer to the brunette's mouth.

"Regina?" she asked again. "What did you say?"

Regina's eyes flew open then, seeking out Emma. Their eyes locked and a slow, soft smile spread across Regina's face.

Emma had never seen her so open and unguarded. She looked about fifteen years younger.

"Daniel."

This time there was no mistaking it. Regina had said Daniel. She'd looked Emma full in the face and breathed the name of her dead fiance.

Snow had told Emma all about Daniel in the Enchanted Forest. The stable boy who had won Regina's heart only to meet a grisly end by Cora's hands. The love of Regina's life, whose death had ultimately shaped the course of Emma's.

Emma took in Regina's appearance. Her skin was deathly pale, with bright spots of illness flushing her cheeks. Though her eyes were open they were glazed and unfocused. Sweat trickled down her smooth forehead and she shook slightly, as though cold.

The pieces combined to form an unsettling picture.

Regina was hallucinating.

"Daniel, you're here."

Regina's voice was so full of light. It was hard to imagine that she'd ever been so free with her affection but here it was, on display.

Emma felt like she was seeing a side to Regina that few people had ever seen before. She wanted to be honoured but mostly it just made her uncomfortable. These words weren't meant for her and listening to them made her feel guilty. Like a peeping tom, peering through some poor woman's window.

"Regina? It's me...Emma. Do you know where you are?"

"Of course, we're in the stables. But we have to be quick Daniel. Mother will be wondering where I am and I don't want her to know about us. She wouldn't approve."

"No...Regina...I'm not.."

Regina cut off her awkward, fumbling words with a low moan.

"Daniel – I don't feel well. Will you sit with me a minute?"

Her hand stretched out across the bed – reaching for Daniel's.

Emma was so lost. It felt wrong to deceive Regina – like she'd be taking advantage of her somehow. On the other hand Regina didn't have much time left. Who was Emma to deny her a happy ending, even if it was a false one.

She encased Regina's clammy hand with her own.

"Of course I'll sit with you. As long as you'd like. Whatever you need – I'm here."

Regina hummed with pleasure, her eyes sliding shut. Her body was instinctively drawing nearer to Emma's now, the need to be close overwhelming her.

_Not close to me, _Emma reminded herself. _Close to Daniel._

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "It'll just be a moment though, I don't want Mother to come looking for me."

The underlying fear in Regina's words made tears prick in the corners of Emma's eyes. For what felt like the hundredth time she wondered what exactly Cora had done to Regina during her childhood – and then quickly banished the images that suggested an answer. There were some things she didn't want to know and this was definitely one of them.

The urge to protect her son's mother rose fiercely in Emma's chest and she found herself quite naturally reaching out a hand to stroke the hair away from Regina's hot forehead.

"Don't worry about her Regina," she said lightly "Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of you."

"I know you will."

A comfortable silence fell between them, Regina's laboured breathing the only sign that this was anything other than a sweet bedside moment between the two women.

Just when Emma was beginning to think that Regina had drifted off again, an almost childlike question broke the quiet.

"Daniel, am I very sick?"

Emma looked down to see brown eyes, filled with vulnerability, gazing up at her.

"Yes honey, you are. But you're going to be okay."

"Do you promise?"

_What was with Regina and extracting impossible promises? _Emma thought.

"I promise."

The two conflicting vows she'd made to this woman in the past twenty four hours began waging a war in her heart - another example of how much Regina was capable of effecting her.

"You sleep now sweetheart. You'll feel so much better in the morning."

"Okay," Regina breathed, her body already responding to the gentle suggestion. "I love you Daniel."

"I love you too."

And of all the things Emma had said while impersonating Daniel, this was the one that felt least like a lie.

**Since you've all been so fabulous here's a sneak peek - out of the goodness of my heart. Life or Death? You'll know by the end of the next chapter!**


	7. A Sentimental Man

Henry knew something was going on. Emma, Mary Margaret and David were hiding something from him and he intended to find out what.

His interest had first been peaked when Emma blew him off on the phone. Then while listening to Snow's side of their conversation it was obvious that they were talking about him. What other kids did they both know – curious or otherwise?

It had all be confirmed for Henry when the Charming's had dropped him off at Granny's and asked Ruby to watch him.

They'd left without giving him any sort of explanation or even imposing a limit on the amount of milkshakes he could order.

_Oh yeah_, he thought, s_omething big was happening._

Aside from being insanely curious, Henry was also a little hurt. After all they'd been through together, he'd thought his family was finally starting to see how useful he was. After all, he'd been the one to recognise the curse for what it was. The one to come up with Operation Cobra. He'd been the one to bring the Saviour to Storybrooke.

Why did they keep leaving him out of things when he'd proven he could help?

And leaving him with Ruby? _Honestly,_ Henry thought, _it's like they're not even trying._

He'd managed to give Ruby the slip five minutes into her watch by pretending that he needed to go to the bathroom. As he was climbing out the window he almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

It hadn't taken him long to track down Mary Margaret and David. By the looks of things they hadn't even plotted an alternate course first, to lose anyone who might be trying to follow them – they'd just walked straight to Gold's.

_Amateurs._

There had been no way for Henry to slip into Gold's shop undetected so he'd hid in the alleyway around the corner, waiting for his grandparents to come out.

When he'd heard the tell-tale ring of the pawn shops bell, signalling that someone was coming out, Henry had pressed himself against the alley wall – listening intently.

"What did she say?" came David's voice.

"Not a lot." Snow sounded upset.

"So what do we do now?"

"I don't think there's anything we can do David. Emma's going to stay with Regina so we should go and get Henry – take him home."

David's voice went quiet now and Henry had to strain to catch his words.

"Are we going to tell him?"

"No," came Snow's immediate reply. "Emma said Regina doesn't want him to know and we have to respect her wishes. Besides, Emma will want to be the one to tell him when the time...when it's all over."

Henry had heard enough. As quietly as possible he slipped down a side street and away from the main road.

If his Mom's were together then whatever was happening was serious. And if Regina was hiding things from him again then it was doubly so.

In his mind he was already compiling a list of places the two women could be.

He went to the mausoleum first, wagering that if something bad had happened then it might have something to do with the dangerous objects hidden in Regina's vault. When that didn't turn up anything the stables were next – the scene of his mother's most recent heartbreak.

Again, there was nothing there.

Henry was starting to panic. He'd been looking for them for ages. Ruby would have well and truly noticed his absence and notified the Charming's. Who in turn would have told Emma and Regina – giving them ample time to cover up whatever it was they were trying to keep from him.

_Think Henry, think! _he urged himself.

Like a flash of lightening the answer came to him and he took off, his feet leading him down the familiar path to Mifflin Street. His brain shut down, his body on autopilot. The only time he stopped to think was when he reached the front door of his old house.

Having the considerable imagination he's been blessed with, Henry had all sort of ideas about what could be waiting inside. The only thing they all had in common was that none of them were good.

Still, if he was going to be any kind of hero he knew that he'd have to charge into the situation regardless.

He pushed the door open and quietly stepped inside.

After quickly checking that no-one was on the ground floor, Henry made his way to the large staircase and climbed it as fast as he could. He went to his mother's room first, surprised to find it empty. That's when he noticed that his own bedroom door was shut.

He couldn't fathom why his mothers' would be in his room but all the evidence pointed him in that direction.

Filled with trepidation he cracked open his bedroom door.

"Henry!" Emma's shocked voice didn't even register in his ears.

For the first time in a long time, Henry only saw Regina. His wide eyes were glued to her scarily still body. He somehow felt like a little boy and an old man all at once.

"Mom?"

* * *

Emma knew she shouldn't have been surprised to see Henry. He was the biological son of two car thieves and the adopted son a mayoral monarch. The kid couldn't help but be resourceful.

She wondered briefly why Mary Margaret hadn't called to tell her that Henry had run off, before remembering that she'd put her phone on silent so that it wouldn't disturb Regina. She glanced at it now to see that she had nine missed calls. Emma sent her mother a quick message to let her know that Henry was fine and with her. She just hoped the 'fine' part wasn't a lie.

Henry walked over to stand next to Regina, his hands reaching out to touch her and then retracting. The helplessness of this gesture echoed the helplessness that Emma had been feeling since she walked into the room and saw Regina huddled on Henry's bed.

"What's wrong with her?" Henry asked.

Emma didn't know how to respond without making him feel responsible.

"What she did at the well – taking that death curse off. Well it made her pretty sick."

He still hadn't taken his eyes off Regina but Emma could tell by the shaky quality of his voice that Henry was in tears.

"When is she going to get better?"

The innocence of the question reminded Emma of just how young Henry really was. She ran a hand down his shuddering back and tried not to falter in what she had to tell him.

"She's not going to get better Henry. I'm so sorry."

"No!" Henry exclaimed "She has to! I need her to!"

"Henry..."

"No!" he interrupted. "She's going to get better. You said that it was a curse right? All curses can be broken!"

Emma ran a hand over her tired eyes. "I know that kid, with true love's kiss but..."

"I can do it!"

"Do what?" Emma asked, puzzled.

"Give her true love's kiss," he said excitedly. "I can save her!"

He leaned over Regina's bedside and pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead. When he pulled back they both waited for the rush of energy, for the glow of love to encase Regina and wake her up.

But the room stayed washed in hues of dark blue. And Regina's eyes stayed shut.

"I don't understand," said Henry. "Why didn't it work?"

Emma had no answers for him.

"Why didn't it work?" he asked again, starting to get hysterical. "I love her! I do! I know I acted like I didn't but I do!"

Emma pulled Henry to her tightly. "I know you do Henry."

"But she doesn't," he insisted hopelessly.

Emma pulled back and looked into her son's face. "Well how about you tell her now?"

Henry turned back to Regina and gently took one of her cold hand's in his own.

"Mom, can you hear me? Mom, I love you. I'm sorry I made you think that I didn't. I was just so mad at you for lying to me. I know now that whatever you used to be, that's not who you are any more and I'm sorry I didn't see that sooner. And I'm sorry that I asked you to take the curse off - I didn't know that this would happen."

He paused to furiously wipe away the tears that were streaking down his face before speaking again.

"I know I haven't been a very good son lately. And I know that I hurt you. But please don't leave me – I need you!"

Watching their son bear his heart was breaking Emma's resolve to honour her original promise to Regina. And when he looked up at her, a part of her already knew what he was going to say.

"Can't you do anything?" Henry pleaded desperately.

In that moment Emma thought she knew what it must have been like to be the one at the well. To be the one who chose to absorb a death curse simply because Henry had asked her to.

And, like Regina, Emma found that she couldn't say no to their son.

"Yes," she whispered. "I can."

"Really?" Henry's ability to transition from heartbreak to hope was astounding.

"I'm going to try my best. Now go and wait downstairs."

"But..."

"No buts kid. This could be really dangerous and your Mom would kill me if I let you get hurt."

Reluctantly, Henry headed for the door.

"What, you're not even going to wish me luck?" Emma asked jokingly.

Henry beamed back at her. "You don't need it," he said confidently. "You're the Saviour."

It wasn't the first time Emma found herself wishing she had half the belief in herself that Henry had in her.

Once he was out of the room, Emma rushed to Regina's beside, pulling the prone woman into a sitting position against the bed-head.

The previous silent Regina gave a small moan at the movement, her eyelids fluttering.

"That's it Regina," Emma urged. "Open your eyes. Come on, wake up!"

A groggy, slurred voice made it's way out of the brunette's mouth. "Miss Swan?"

Emma chuckled. "Since I'm about to do some magic funnel shit that could potentially kill us both I'm pretty sure you can call me Emma. We're there."

"What..?" Regina's head was lolling sideways, clearly struggling to follow what Emma was saying.

"I told you, I'm not doing this by myself. Besides, how can I keep on calling myself 'The Saviour' if I can't even beat one measly little death curse?"

Regina was still not entirely conscious, the ability to speak abandoning her again.

"That's okay, I get it. You're not in a joking mood. That's fine – maybe later."

Emma sat herself across from Regina on Henry's bed and put a hand on the ill woman's shoulder, steadying her.

"Okay bear with me Regina, I don't exactly know what I'm doing here."

Emma took a deep breath and tried to remember the feeling she'd had in the Enchanted Forest when her magic had come out. She allowed the intense need to protect at all costs fill her up, flooding her system. She was rewarded with a familiar tingle spreading throughout her entire body.

Emma closed her eyes and concentrated on what she wanted her magic to do, picturing it seeping into Regina and pulling the toxic curse out of her.

She felt the tendrils of her own magic respond. They unfurled delicately and she gasped when they brushed up against Regina's. The dark haired woman's magic tasted of dark chocolate and peppermint. Rich and smooth and slightly bitter.

The sensation of their magical essences touching was overwhelming and Emma found herself lost in the feeling. The force of it almost made her forget the reason she was doing this in the first place. That was until chocolate mint gave way to a jarring electrical current that set Emma's teeth on edge.

In her mind's eye, Emma could see the curse – a malignant growth that had Regina's magic in a stranglehold. Despite her discomfort, she willed herself to draw closer to the bright green light.

The closer she got the more her magic wanted to retreat but she clenched her jaw and refused to pull away.

Regina needed her. She wouldn't turn back now.

As she touched the curse for the first time a wave of pain swept through her and she couldn't keep herself from crying out. She could feel the dark magic hooking into her own and she willed the purity of her intentions to shine through and overwhelm the blackness she felt at the curse's heart.

As it latched on tighter to her, Emma could see the green swirling mass slowly releasing it's grip on Regina. In response the brunette started to stir.

Spurred on by her progress, Emma pushed harder, trying to draw all of the destructive energy she could towards herself. By the time Regina returned to full consciousness Emma was struggling. Having drained the curse from Regina, she was now battling to keep it from destroying herself.

_Your magic is light Emma,_ she told herself. _You can do this!_

Henry's voice echoed in her head. "Good always wins."

_God I hope so kid_, Emma thought.

Through the fog of the strain she felt two strong hands grip her own and her body became awash with warmth. The velvety texture of Regina's magic was back and Emma could feel it bolstering her, encouraging her to fight harder.

The white light emanating from her pulsed brighter, chasing the evil shadows from her core. With one last push of her heart, Emma felt the greedy mouth of the curse dislodge it's teeth from her magic and fall away.

In the moments following the curses annihilation, there was just Emma and Regina. No walls, no darkness. Just the truth of who they were, looking into each other.

Unbidden by either of them, their magics sought each other out – embracing. Like a key in a lock, their jagged edges fit together. They felt whole.

As awareness crept into the experience, Emma felt Regina startle and pull away.

Returning to wakefulness, they sat across from each other speechless. Regina stared at Emma with a simultaneously awestruck and questioning gaze.

"Well," said Emma breathlessly. "That was interesting."

**Come on guys, you didn't really think I was going to kill her did you?**


	8. What is This Feeling?

**I apologise for the delay in posting this chapter lovely people. A horrid intrusion known as "Work" decided to interrupt my flow. **

Regina had successfully avoided all human interaction for three days. She felt childish, hiding away in her own house, but she wasn't ready to face anyone yet.

Not even Henry.

He'd tried to be understanding as she'd explained that she needed time and space in order to recover. He'd listened solemnly and then made her promise to let him know as soon as she felt well enough to see him.

When she'd sworn she would he'd dived at her – hugging her tightly around the middle as if afraid that she'd dissolve into the wind if he let her go. She'd hugged back gratefully, her heart giving a pleasant surge at his eagerness to spend time with her.

Emma had simply nodded, her eyes filled with a knowing look. It was a look that spoke of their unexpected and thus far unacknowledged connection. Regina had found herself having to swallow the urge to berate the woman for wearing such a presumptuous expression.

The blonde had saved her life and for that Regina was thankful. But it didn't give her to right to look at Regina with such..such… She struggled to think of exactly the right word. Compassion? Comprehension?

Acceptance.

That was it. It had been a look that said "I know who you are and I accept all of it."

It was precisely this sort of exchange that Regina had been trying to avoid when she'd locked herself in her bedroom and attempted to shut out the world.

One part of her – the old Regina – found Emma's gaze aggravating and misplaced. It took liberties and assumed a level of familiarity that they didn't and could never share.

Another part, the one that was trying to be a good mother and earn her son's affection found it comforting. It promised a future of respect between the two women who needed to get along for Henry's sake.

And the newest part of her – the one that had only been awakened as she'd stared into the magic of the Saviour – was absolutely terrified. Regina had felt the very foundation of who she was reach out to embrace the bright, cleansing light that was Emma and instead of pulling away, as Regina had expected she would, Emma had reached back.

What had followed was an experience unlike any Regina had ever lived through. Their magical cores had locked to form one being, in a union so intimate that the brunette found herself blushing at the mere recollection.

Until she knew what it all meant and had decided how she wanted to proceed, Regina felt her only option was to retreat into the safety of solitude. While painful, being alone was something she knew how to handle – a surface upon which her feet could find solid ground.

Still, she missed Henry terribly. And, amazingly, she got the feeling that he was genuinely missing her as well. So, after three days of tossing the strange encounter with Emma over and over in her mind with no hint of an answer in sight, Regina was venturing outside the Mifflin Street house in search of her son.

She'd agonised over what to wear and had spent a good half hour tugging at her hair – another hour doing and redoing her make up. It was ridiculous, what did Henry care what she looked like? When have he ever even noticed?

_Maybe you're not dressing up for him then._

The thought whispered itself to her in a sly and smug tone that she found irksome. She dismissed it immediately, refusing to enter into debates like that. Even against herself.

The sooner she was out of this house the better, she reasoned. Perhaps being around people would banish these ridiculous notions.

It was almost midday by the time she strode out her front door, the sun casting a mild glow over the sleepy Maine streets. She headed towards the centre of town, towards Granny's. If there was one thing in this world that Regina could count on it was Henry's stomach.

As she got closer to the main road, Regina wondered idly if it was safe for her to be out in public like this. After all, the townspeople had proven that just because their Sherriff had pardoned her didn't mean they would.

They would know by now that she had magic though, surely that would be enough to keep them away.

The notion was one that she'd intended to tell herself for reassurance; a reminder that magic meant she was safe. Instead all she saw were the frightened faces of the villagers she had once ruled over. She didn't want people to be afraid of her, not any more. Not even if that was the only thing that kept them from slipping a noose around her neck.

Before she could plunge any further into dismal thoughts the cool, logical part of Regina's brain asserted itself – scolding her more sentimental side for dwelling on things that no aspect of her had any control over. It was impossible to change the heart or mind of anyone but herself.

As she rounded the corner onto the street that housed the town's only diner, she caught sight of a familiar yellow eye sore. She smiled before she could stop herself, before the Mayor and mother within her could start listing all the safety hazards of Emma's Swans dilapidated vehicle.

It was a horrible car but somehow it was so Emma, so representative of her brashness and boldness. Of her jumbled and disorganised way.

She came to a stop in front of Granny's and glanced through the window, trying to spot Henry. Her eyes found him immediately – sitting on a stool at the front counter in the midst of an enthusiastic conversation with Ruby. Emma was beside him, watching the scene with a soft fondness.

Regina meant to go in but she found herself rooted to the spot. She used to feel so many things when she'd happen upon Emma and Henry together. Anger, betrayal, isolation. She searched for those feelings now but could find no trace of them. In their place was a curious yearning. She pictured Henry looking up to see her approaching. He'd leap out of his seat to greet her, dragging her over to sit next to him. Then, as soon as they were seated, he'd launch into some outrageously far-fetched tale, talking at a hundred miles an hour.

She'd exchange amused glances with Emma over his head as he talked and when he finally caught them doing it, Henry would scrunch up his face and complain loudly that no one took him seriously.

It was a tame imagining as far as fantasies go but it made Regina feel ashamed, as though she didn't have the right to want the things she found herself wanting.

As if tuned into the frequency of her inner dialogue, Emma looked up then, catching sight of Regina through the window.

She inclined her head slightly in greeting and leant down to whisper in Henry's ear. His response was comical. He spun about quickly, his head whipping towards the window so violently that he almost toppled off his chair. The next second he was airborne, his body launching from the counter stool and towards the door.

Regina barely had time to prepare herself for him before he was barrelling out the diner door and into her arms.

"Mom! You're here!"

The force with which he grabbed her made Regina wince slightly, her body still recovering from the curses effects. She hid the pain though; a hug from Henry was worth every twinge.

"Henry! It's so good to see you. I missed you!"

"I missed you too," he said, his voice muffled against her coat. "I didn't think you'd be gone so long. Are you feeling better?"

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head.

"Much," she admitted, surprised and pleased to find she actually meant it.

"You should come inside and have lunch with us then!" Henry suggested excitedly "Emma and I were just about to order."

Regina pulled back from his embrace and straight away felt the loss of his warmth in her arms.

"I don't know Henry…" she trailed off.

"No one's mad at you if that's what you're worried about." He paused. "Well," he conceded "I guess some of them still are. But no one's going to bother you. They know all about what happened with you and Emma. She told them."

"What!?" Regina couldn't keep herself from exploding. An image of those nosy dwarves discussing the deeply personal and private experience the two women had shared was enough to make her skin crawl. How could Emma have shared this information so flippantly?

"Henry's right," came Emma's voice. Regina looked up to find the blonde watching them both from the door way. "I told them about how you absorbed the death curse to save Mary Margaret and I. About how when I got in trouble trying to rescue you, you used your hocus pocus skills to save us both. People were impressed Regina. I'm not saying that you're going start winning any popularity contests or anything but you've earned some breathing room in the 'people want to storm your house with pitchforks' stakes."

She was still wearing that maddening look of total understanding.

"I see," said Regina slowly. "And how impressed would they all be if you'd mentioned that I helped cast that curse in the first place. Or that you almost died while undertaking your rescue attempt?"

Her words didn't hold the bite they once would have – the harsh tone she'd employed whenever she'd wanted to antagonise the Saviour.

Emma recognised the subtle changed and smiled because of it.

"You know me," she said breezily. "I'm not big on details."

"Do I?" asked Regina seriously. "Know you?"

Emma's eyes widened slightly at the directness of the question.

"You tell me," she said, hardly believing that the closed off woman had brought the subject up so soon.

"What are you guys talking about?"

Both women started at Henry's question, pulled from some deep reverie that only the two of them had been occupying. As though only just now remembering her son's presence, Regina felt a betraying blush colouring her features and was relieved to see the same hue registering on Emma's face.

"Nothing kid," assured Emma quickly. "Listen, why don't you go in and grab us a table."

"For three?" he asked, looking hopefully at Regina.

"For three," she assented.

"Awesome! Do guys want me to order for you?"

Regina's nose turned up a little, both at being called a 'guy' by her son and by the thought of what Henry would think was a suitable lunch for her. She wasn't sure her stomach could handle fries and a cheeseburger right now.

"Why don't you just order for yourself sweetheart," she suggested gently. "Emma and I can order when we come in."

"Okay!"

With that he raced inside, heading for his favourite booth on the far side of the diner. Regina laughed softly, Henry's presence proving that it still had the power to ease her troubled mind.

She felt eyes on her and turned to find Emma inspecting her intently.

"What?" she asked, trying not to sound defensive.

"You called me Emma."

Regina didn't know whether to roll her eyes or check the blonde for a head injury.

"That's your name isn't it?"

"Yeah it's just….no more Miss Swan huh?"

"I think we've gone quite far past that don't you?"

Again, Emma was surprised at Regina's candour. She'd anticipated weeks of needling just for them to get to the point where Regina would acknowledge what had happened between them. Instead this was the second time she'd brought it up in the space of a single conversation.

"About that…" Emma started.

"I'm rather hungry," came Regina's swift interruption. "Would you mind if we went inside now?"

_That's more like it_, thought Emma.

She could see the plea on Regina's face, the fear she felt at the idea of having the conversation they both knew they'd eventually have to have.

Still, Emma was optimistic. Regina wasn't saying never. She was just saying, not yet.

Knowing that this was not a discussion that could be rushed, Emma decided to honour Regina's request.

"Sure," she said, holding the door open for Regina. "After you."

As Regina walked past Emma's outstretched arm they brushed gently against one another and the spark they felt was enough to cause a shiver to run though each of them.

They froze, their breath quickening and their gazes seeking out the others face. They slipped into another of the reveries and suddenly everyone else seemed very far away.

Emma was about to say something when the world decided to intrude again.

"Are you guys coming? I'm starving!"

When they pulled apart Regina's wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed at Henry's interruption. As she walked to the table Henry had chosen for them, acutely aware of Emma's presence at her back, she found the answer was both.

**Gosh Henry, way to ruin the moment. Let's see if our ladies can get some alone time in the next chapter.**


	9. I'm Not That Girl

**Our ladies get a moment alone, as promised.**

Emma fidgeted uncomfortably, shifting her weight onto either foot. The last time she'd stood on these steps she'd been just as nervous. The only difference was, last time the weight of the unexpected was causing her apprehension. This time she knew exactly what to expect - hence her hesitation.

She'd nearly decided to leave when the pristine door before her swung open to reveal a puzzled looking Regina.

"Emma?"

_She's still calling me by my first name_, thought Emma, _that's a good sign_.

"Is everything all right?" asked Regina, clearly stunned to find a tongue tied princess on her stoop. Emma was many things but shy and retiring was not one of them. She tried to piece together what would bring Emma here when it was so obvious the blonde would rather be anywhere else.

"Is it Henry?" she demanded, worried by the Saviour's silence. "Is he okay?"

Emma felt like kicking herself. Of course Regina would assume she was here because of Henry. She hastily made to put the woman's mind at ease. "Henry's fine. This isn't about him. I just needed to speak to you about something. Do you think I could come in?"

The please she left off her request was evident to both of them. Regina stepped back into the house and out of the path blocking the door, gesturing inside. "Of course, come in. Can I get you something to drink?"

_Ever the hostess_, thought Emma fondly.

"Ah yeah, just a water would be good thanks."

Emma dutifully followed Regina into the kitchen and watched her pour a glass of water into a sparkling crystal glass. She handed the glass over and eyed Emma thoughtfully, resting her back against the kitchen counter.

"What did you want to speak to me about?" Regina tried not to sound haughty or scornful, aware that she slipped into old habits when she was nervous. Which she was – incredibly.

"Ah, do you mind if we have this conversation in the living room. I'd rather not have you around so many knives."

Regina raised a single eyebrow but said nothing. Instead she turned and made her way for the living room, settling into a high backed chair that she knew made her posture look regal. While she intended to enter this discussion peacefully, some part of her still demanded that she at least go into it with some advantage.

Regina's survival instincts were hard earned and they weren't simply going to disappear after one noble gesture on Emma's part.

As if sensing Regina's need to be in control, Emma settled for the comfortable looking armchair across from her and sank into it – allowing herself to appear smaller and less of a threat amongst the soft folds of fabric.

"Are you quite comfortable now?" asked Regina, permitting a hint of snideness to enter her voice. "As you can see I'm at least ten feet away from any sharp objects. I'm sure you'll have ample opportunity to fire off a round should I try anything."

Emma felt the unease drain out of her body, grateful to return to the pattern of banter they'd established for themselves.

"Since you could eviscerate me with a glance I'm pretty sure I'd never be safe around you."

"Probably not," Regina admitted.

Emma sensed that same tone of seriousness to Regina's statement that she'd heard the day they'd spoken in front of Granny's. It was a hint of something more beyond the surface, an allusion to a second meaning that neither of them had been willing to examine.

Until today.

Emma was determined to have it out with Regina today. She didn't care if it meant she was magicked out onto the street on her ass. She needed to say what had been weighing on her mind since she had tasted Regina inside of it. The pressure of their unspoken words was building up inside the blonde until she was convinced she'd burst.

She had to know, once and for all what their experience had meant. And what it meant for their future.

"So…speaking of magic…"Emma started clumsily, aware of the absurdity of her segue way.

"Were we?" Regina cut in.

"Were we what?"

"Speaking of magic? I thought were we speaking about the likelihood of me disembowelling you."

"Yeah, with magic."

"That hardly makes it the main topic of our discussion."

"I didn't say it was the main topic did I? I just said we were speaking about it?"

"Of it."

"Excuse me?"

"You said we were speaking of it dear, not about it."

"Oh Jesus, Regina, as if that matters!"

"If you're going to be co-parenting my son I beg to differ, the consistency of your arguments matter a great deal. Henry's a talented debater and I wouldn't want him besting you on technicalities."

"The consistency of my arguments? Seriously? We're not having an argument!"

"Then why are you yelling?"

Emma was about to launch into a tirade, explaining that her volume was caused by Regina being an irritating grammar Nazi when she caught herself. Regina was doing this on purpose, she realised. A stalling tactic to distract Emma from what they both knew she was here to discuss.

She looked intently into Regina's eyes and found the same voiceless plea she'd seen when she tried to bring up the issue before lunch at Granny's.

This time she pushed past the instinct to protect Regina from discomfort and forged ahead.

"I know what you're doing," Emma said softly.

"Do you?" said Regina harshly. "Since you know me so well."

"I do know you. We know each other. And that's what I'm here to talk to you about."

A heavy silence fell between them, punctured only by the sound of Regina squirming in her chair. Emma wondered if she was going to deny it, claiming not to know what Emma was talking about. One look at her though, showed that Regina knew the game was up.

"Do we have to talk about it?" she asked, sounding like a little girl.

Emma leant forward, resting her arms on her knees.

"Yeah Regina, we do. What happened between us….well I don't know if it affected you like it affected me but… I know I'm new to magic so maybe I'm reading too much into this but that didn't feel like your garden variety, light as a feather, stiff as a board type stuff. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"Though embellished with some, no doubt mindless popular culture reference, no – you're not wrong. I've never experienced what happened with our magics before."

Emma took a deep breath, thankful for Regina's honesty and also terrified by it.

"So that must mean something right, that we were able to…fit together like that?"

Regina's face was growing paler by the minute and Emma was starting to grow concerned that she'd pass out.

"I don't know," she said weakly.

"I'm sorry but that's bullshit Regina."

"No it's not!" said Regina forcefully, regaining a little of her strength. "I don't know how it happened so I can't know if it means anything. Perhaps that's what happens when two people who are both very powerful come together to do a spell."

Emma considered this for a moment.

"Okay, I might buy that. Except you said it had never happened to you before and you've done magic with loads of powerful people. I mean, that never happened with you and Gold right?"

"Certainly not!" stated Regina, sounding scandalised. Emma leapt onto her tone.

"See, that's what I'm saying. You're disgusted at the idea of what happened between us happening between you and Gold - so you must have some idea of what it might say about the two of us. About our connection."

Regina felt her defences faltering. The newly awakened side of her was screaming, begging her to tell Emma that of course it meant something, of course it was special. She wanted to. _God it would be so easy_, she thought. To just say lay all her cards on the table. To close the gap between their bodies and do what both of them had been thinking about non-stop since that first shuddering contact had occurred.

Instead she chose fear, letting it swell inside her and twist into the façade of the Evil Queen. She let the persona rise to the forefront, like a guard stepping in between two brawling inmates.

"And what exactly would you like me to say? Hmm? That because our magics performed some miraculous feat previously unknown to me that we should ride off into the sunset together. Live happily ever after?"

The venom in her voice was a shock to Emma's system. She'd thought they were doing so well and she watched with no small sense of loss as the light in Regina's eyes retreated, replaced with those of the cold, dead woman she'd first met in Storybrooke.

"Don't do this Regina," she warned. "Don't push me away just because you're scared."

"Scared?" the word was scathing and oozing with contempt "And what exactly am I supposed to be frightened of in this situation?"

"You're afraid of what you feel for me," said Emma boldly.

"I feel nothing for you."

"That's not true."

"Tell yourself what you'd like Miss Swan," Regina said dismissively.

"Oh so it's Miss Swan again is it? Now I know you're scared. You don't have to be Regina. I'm not trying to hurt you. Everything you're feeling for me…I'm feeling it too. I just want us to talk about this, figure out where we go from here."

"Where you go from here is out my front door." Regina stood abruptly, towering over Emma. "Get out of my house."

"No."

"I said get out!"

"And I said no," said Emma stubbornly. "I'm not going anywhere. I won't let you run from this."

"Run from what?" Regina asked, continuing her defiance. "From your obvious delusions."

"No, from a chance to be happy. Don't you want that Regina? I could make you happy, I know I could. I felt it." Emma took a step towards Regina, her hands outstretched in a gesture of peace.

She was bearing her soul to Regina, offering up the most vulnerable parts of herself for judgement. And like an adder, waiting to strike, Regina's eyes sought out the jugular.

"You think you have what it takes to make me happy?" She caressed the words, letting them fall from her mouth like poison. "Your arrogance is astounding Saviour. Why on earth would I want you? I had a true love – his name was Daniel and as you may recall, your darling mother stole him from me! I don't want another love in my life. I don't need another love in my life. And even if I did – in no land, in no imagining, would that love be you. You're a loud, uncouth, uneducated thief who couldn't even make her parents keep her."

The slap rang out through the large house.

Emma's wide green eyes were filled with tears, an awful look of betrayal housed on her face. When she turned and ran out of the room Regina didn't go after her.

Instead she sat back down heavily in her armchair and reached up to touch her cheek. She could feel the flesh swelling already. From some abandoned catacomb inside her an echo sounded up her passageway.

_What have I done?_

**Hey – I never promised a happy moment! Do you think our crazy kids can work it out? Stay tuned!**


	10. Thank Goodness

Regina hadn't meant to hurt Emma, not really. She'd responded with panic and instinct, the way she did when anyone tried to work their way past her barriers.

She was like a loaded pistol in the hands of a jittery war veteran, poised to go off at the slightest provocation. And go off she had. She'd driven the knife into Emma's heart where she was weakest and then twisted it. Yet, unbelievably, she really hadn't intended to do real lasting harm. But from Emma's total avoidance of her for going on a week and a half, Regina could tell that's what she'd done.

And she had no idea how to fix it.

When you've spent your entire adult life trying to crush people the ability to put them back together again isn't one you concentrate on cultivating. Every idea she came up with seemed wrong somehow. Too trite, too shallow, too sentimental, too cavalier, too self-indulgent.

She found herself wishing, not for the first time, that she had a friend in the tiny town she'd created. That's what friends talked about right? Mistakes, fears. They gave advice and counselled courses of action. So far the only person in all of Storybrooke who seemed to fit that bill was the one she needed advice about.

Regina was at the end of her rope, ready to try anything, when Henry showed up on her front porch.

He rang the bell, feeling awkward at behaving like a guest at his old home. Regina had swung the door open quickly, as if she'd been hovering in the foyer awaiting a guest. For the first time in his life Regina looked disappointed to see Henry, clearly hoping to have seen another face at her door.

This initial disappointment was quickly replaced with a look of fondness and finally of confusion.

"Henry! What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too Mom," he said cheekily.

She opened her arms and allowed her son to walk into a loose hug.

"Of course it's good to see you. I just wasn't expecting you. Are you here by yourself?"

Henry stepped back and nodded, his little face growing solemn.

"Emma doesn't know I'm here."

At the mention of Emma's name Regina could feel herself flinch. Henry was a perceptive boy who didn't miss much. He didn't say anything but Regina could feel his watchful gaze taking in her body language.

"Why didn't you tell her?" Regina wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"Because she's mad at you." Now Regina was sure she didn't want to hear the answer.

Things had been going so well for the three of them. Regina had almost started to think that they could function as a little family. And now she'd ruined it. Emma would never speak to her again which meant that Henry would want nothing to do with her either.

Henry watched the hope slide out of his mother. He saw the slow, steady stain of resignation permeate her every movement. She dropped her eyes from his gaze, as if ashamed to look at him.

"So can I come in?"

Regina looked up, bewildered. He wanted to come in? As if in answer to her unasked question Henry spoke again.

"Look, you obviously did something that made Emma upset. But it's okay. I'll help you. We can fix it."

Regina could feel tears welling up in her eyes but she choked them down, not wanting to make a scene in front of Henry. Her little boy. Who wanted to help her.

"I'm not sure we're going to be able to fix this one sweetheart," she said gently, her heart straining.

His smile widened, he was practically beaming.

"Of course we can. True love breaks any curse. Now can I come in?"

This time he didn't wait for a response, striding across the threshold of his old house, leaving a stunned and silent Regina in his wake. She heard him making his way through the house and followed in a daze, trying to comprehend his grand declaration.

She stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching as Henry clambered onto a stool and began going through the pantry. He looked up, slightly sheepish.

"Sorry, is it okay if I get myself something to eat?" he asked.

Regina still felt off kilter and answered him absentmindedly. "Of course, this is still your house Henry."

He gave a satisfied grunt and began pulling out the makings of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He was just taking his first bite when Regina seemed to recover her powers of speech.

"Sweetheart, what did you mean by true love breaks any curse? What does that have to do with me upsetting Emma?"

"I get what you mean," he started. "A fight isn't exactly a curse. Maybe we should change it to "True love overcomes all obstacles." Better?"

"So you think that Emma and I…."

"Are true loves," he finished matter-of-factly. He might as well have been telling her the weather forecast.

"Henry…."

"Mom, you don't have to explain it to me. I know what happened. Emma saved you. She saved you even when I couldn't. Who else but your true love could have done that?"

Her mind still reeling, Regina latched onto the one part of the conversation that seemed the least frightening to approach.

"You tried to save me?" Emma had never mentioned this to her.

Henry nodded slowly, clearly not wanting to elaborate. At her continued stare he reluctantly shared the story.

"I tried to break the curse with true loves kiss. But it didn't work." He became impassioned then, almost desperate. "I don't know why it didn't work because I do love you! Honest Mom I do!"

"I know you do sweetheart."

"Then why didn't it work?" He sounded hopeless and devastated. A child that's just been told there's no Santa Claus. It was in these moments that Regina remembered just how young her precocious little boy really was.

"True love is different Henry. In order to truly love someone you have to know their soul. And they have to know yours. I've always kept you at a distance because I thought that's what I had to do to be a parent. But I was wrong. I kept you from really knowing who I am. And that's why you couldn't save me from the curse."

Henry seemed to be taking it all in, considering her words very carefully. And, as always, he came out of it with an optimistic perspective.

"I can get to know you now though can't I?"

Aware that she was quite possibly overstepping the quota for the amount of affection Henry would allow to be bestowed upon him in a single day, Regina pulled him into a tight hug.

"Yes you can."

He allowed her to hold him for a few seconds before pulling away.

"Okay, okay, enough mushy stuff!" he declared. "We have a plan to make!"

Regina felt all of the buoyancy in her deflate as she remembered the predicament that brought her son here. He ploughed ahead anyway, not needing her encouragement.

"You did something to make her mad. Now she's not talking to you. So all you have to do is say you're sorry and make it up to her."

_If only the whole word worked on that kind of logic_, Regina thought longingly.

"Henry, I don't think it's going to be quite that easy."

"Why not?" he asked defiantly.

"Because I hurt Emma, a lot."

"Did you mean to?"

"No."

"Well just explain that."

"It's not that simple."

"Why not?"

"Henry!"

"What?"

Regina took a large breath in and tried to calm herself. The last thing she needed right now was the be snapping at the one person who seemed to be, for the moment, on her side.

"Henry, this thing between Emma and I. It's very complicated."

Henry adopted a look of total distaste. "Adults always say that when they don't want to do something and don't want to have to explain why."

Regina ran a hand over her face, a tension headache beginning to spread outwards from her temples. Though she loathed admitting it, Henry had a point. When it all boiled down to it Regina had feelings for Emma and Emma had feelings for Regina. Regina had gotten scared and pushed Emma away.

So now she had to apologise and…what was it Henry had said? Make it up to her?

"Okay," she said, humouring her son. "For arguments sake let's say Emma lets me speak long enough to apologise. What do I do to make it up to her?"

"Well," he said mischievously. "In all the stories a kiss usually does the trick."

At the look on his mother's face he quickly amended his advice. "Or you know, you could start with a hug. A handshake. Whatever."

Regina was quiet for so long that Henry thought maybe he'd upset her. She seemed to be struggling under the enormity of what she was about to do. Or more to the point, the enormity of what it was she found herself wanting to do.

Finally she looked up and gave Henry a small smile.

"Okay," she said. "Let's do it."

**See, Henry can be an okay sort of chap when he wants to be. Next chapter will be sealed with a kiss but will it be a kiss with a fist?**


	11. Defying Gravity

Emma was wallowing. There was no other word for it.

The girl she liked didn't like her back, they'd gotten into a fight and now she was sitting in her parent's apartment in two day old clothes eating ice cream out of the carton.

If she'd had the energy to be anything but heartbroken she would have found it pathetic. Some resilient part of her had been jumping up and down, screaming for her to get a hold of herself.

She'd drowned that part out as easily as she drowned her ice cream in chocolate sauce.

Even Henry had grown tired of her self pity. He'd announced that morning that he was going out and without even stopping to check if it was all right with her, or let her ask where he was off to, he was out the front door.

Emma had vaguely considered going after him, her motherly instincts suggesting that she at least find out where he was going to be for safety reasons. Ultimately she'd decided against it. Henry was an independent kid and if she started monitoring his every move he'd resent it.

Besides, what more trouble could he possibly get into considering all they'd already survived together?

Together. The word echoed inside of her, latching onto the name of the one person she was trying desperately not to think of.

_Don't think about her, don't think about her. _It had become Emma's mantra. A wholly ineffective one that did nothing to stem the tide of melancholy thoughts that seemed to seep in of their own accord, accompanied by the faint smell of perfume.

Emma was finally roused out of her misery by the sound of footsteps approaching her door. The clambering, soft canvassed steps of Henry were easily recognisable. As was the high heeled clipping of a certain ex-Mayor.

_He wouldn't! _Emma thought.

As they got closer, Emma scrambled off the couch, hurriedly wiping ice cream from the front of her unwashed sweats.

She was half way through an attempt to pull her oily, tangled hair into a respectable pony tail when the door swung open to reveal her son. And his mother.

"Hey, look who I found." Henry announced unnecessarily.

The kid was a terrible liar. His eyebrows were practically waggling. He was like a used car salesman trying to convince a novice consumer that a decrepit old car was a mint condition classic. He'd gone to get Regina, as Emma should have suspected he would. Henry was never more at home than when he was meddling in other people's business.

Henry looked between the two women, feeling the tension radiating off both of them.

"I'll be on the landing if anyone needs me."

And before either woman could protest he was gone, climbing the staircase that would lead him to the outside fire escape.

Regina came further into the room, hesitantly. She was treating Emma like a dangerous snake that could strike at any moment.

"Is it okay that I'm here?" she asked softly.

Emma's eyes narrowed and she answered in a snide tone. "I don't know, you tell me. It might not be safe for you to be around someone so delusional."

The hurt in Emma's voice was evident, despite the fact that she tried to bury it under anger. Regina steeled herself for the conversation to come, willing Emma's mind and heart to remain open to what she had to say.

"I'm sorry," she said heavily, pushing the weight of her conviction into the two words.

"For?" Emma wasn't going to let her off lightly.

"For the things I said. They were hurtful and uncalled for and I'm sorry."

Emma let the apology hang in the air, giving off the distinct impression that she was waiting for something a little more substantial. When it didn't come she shook her head and turned away from Regina.

"Fine," Emma said dismissively. "You're forgiven. You can go."

"No..Emma..wait!"

Emma turned back to see that Regina had taken a few steps towards her. The brunettes hands were nervously reaching out and then drifting back to her sides.

J_ust like Henry's_, Emma thought.

"You...you know I didn't mean any of that don't you?"

Emma felt her anger flare again.

"Didn't you? Because you sounded pretty damn sure of yourself."

"I was afraid," admitted Regina.

The confession alone was enough to grab Emma's attention. Regina copping to a weakness was a fairly rare and startling occurrence.

"Of what Regina?" asked Emma bewildered. "I told you I wasn't going to hurt you!"

"It's not that..."

"Then what is it?" Emma urged. She didn't want Regina to withdraw again, not when they were so close to finally getting all of their cards on the table.

"I feel for you Emma but I can't **be **with you. I can't be with anyone like that."

"You were with Daniel," Emma insisted.

"Daniel was special," came Regina's quick reply.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why was he special?"

Regina felt herself growing flustered. This was not how she pictured this conversation going. It was unnerving, the way Emma found hidden cracks past Regina's defences, shedding light on buried parts of her wherever she went. Unnerving and exciting.

"This is ridiculous. He was special because...because..."

"Because he loved you?"

"Yes!"

The broken tone in Regina's voice caused an ache to swell in Emma's heart. She took the few steps that would close the distance between them before speaking.

"Regina. Loving you isn't some remarkable feat. Daniel wasn't special because he loved you. He was special because you loved him"

Emma reached out and grabbed Regina's hands, surprised and pleased when the dark haired woman allowed the physical contact.

"And just for the record, I'm not asking you to love me. I would never pressure you like that."

"But I could." Regina's voice was small and frightened. The voice of a young girl who had known nothing but heartache. "If I let this happen I could fall in love with you."

"And?" said Emma, confused. "That would be bad because?"

Regina's response tried to be haughty but ultimately came off as sad and tired.

"I don't know if you've noticed dear but the people I love have a tendency to die. Sometimes at my hand."

Emma let Regina's hands drop and Regina frowned, fearing the worst. She let her head hang forward despondently.

Regina had dreaded Emma realising that a relationship between them would be a mistake but it had to happen. It was the only way to keep her safe. Anyway, better that it happened now and not a few months down the track when she'd allowed all her barriers to fall away.

Just as she was about the make her exit, Regina felt two warm hands encircling her waist, pulling her forward. She looked up to find Emma staring at her intensely, a small crooked smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.

"I've survived Gold trying to blow us both up, Sidney cutting the brakes to my car, an attempted poisoning, a wraith attack, ogres, pirates, giants and your mother's hand in my chest. Not to mention our most recent adventure with the shiny green death curse. I think it's times to face facts Regina – you're stuck with me. I'm sort of invincible."

With the smell of Emma's body encasing her and the soft but firm press of the blonde woman's fingers on her waist, Regina was quickly forgetting why she had ever thought this was a bad idea. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to Emma's.

"Thank heavens for that." she whispered.

Emma sensed the tingle of absolute joy spread through her as she felt Regina relax into her arms. This was actually happening. A good deal of her couldn't believe it – had never really thought Regina would give her a chance. But she had. She was. And Emma intended to take it.

"So..." she said quietly. "What happens now?"

"Well, Henry mentioned that these sorts of stories usually end with a kiss..."

Not needing any more invitation than that, Emma lifted one hand to the back of Regina's head.

"Clever boy," she breathed, before pressing her lips to Regina's.

It felt like a homecoming. Emma tasted the familiar combination of dark chocolate and mint in her mouth, not realising until that point how much her mouth had missed the flavour.

The kiss started out sweet and tentative until a slow keening sound emanating from the back of Regina's throat enticed Emma's tongue to become involved.

As their mouths and bodies opened to each other, their passion escalating, Regina gripped Emma's shoulders to keep from toppling over. They were pressed tightly to one another, clinging almost, with a desperation that had been growing inside them for weeks.

Emma finally broke the kiss, her lungs demanding air. They were still holding each other, panting slightly, when a deep voice bellowed from the apartment doorway.

"What the hell is going on here?"

**Well there you have it folks, the long awaited kiss. And not a fist in sight – well not in this chapter at least. Any prizes for guessing the identity of our interrupter? **


	12. March of the Witch Hunters

**Wow, I really didn't intend to keep you all in suspense so long. Sorry about that guys!**

The two women broke apart quickly, startled not only by the volume of the voice but by its accusatory tone.

Emma looked over to the doorway to see the flushed, enraged face of her father. His jaw was set in a hard line and his eyes were flashing dangerously. Beside him, Snow was opening and closing her mouth silently like a goldfish.

Emma tried to bury the urge to blush guiltily. She had done nothing to be ashamed of, she assured herself. At her side she could feel Regina's body tense and she chanced a quick look over at the bristling woman.

Emma could see that Regina was trying to stay calm. She was ushering in long, deep breaths and there was an obvious struggle in her eyes. Everything about her stance screamed "Fight or Flight?"

Regina was a bomb right now, Emma realised. She needed to be defused quickly or she was going to go off. Emma reached a hand out and grasped her firmly but gently by the elbow – a wordless gesture of reassurance. Regina's muscles relaxed minimally at Emma's touch and she gave her a small, tight smile.

It wasn't much but it was enough.

Emma turned now to her parents. This was a conversation she'd known she'd have to have eventually but the fact that it had come so soon was like a slap in the face. She was not looking forward to what was about to go down.

"Dad, Mom…" she started, trying to appease them with the use of their affectionate titles.

David was obviously having none of it. No sooner had Emma opened her mouth than he let out an incredulous scoff.

"Don't Dad me Emma – I want some answers. What were you two just doing?"

Emma's patience, never very stout at the best of times, was waning. Before she could clamp down the impulse she was snapping back at her father's impertinent question.

"Well you see," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "When two people like each other very much, they put their mouths…"

"Enough!" David's voice crackled with rage and for the first time in her life Emma felt chastened. Was this what having a parent was actually like?

Ever the peacemaker, Snow chose now to get involved. She placed a calming hand on her husband's shoulder, echoing the movements Emma had made to settle Regina. The parallel wasn't lost on any of them, making the atmosphere in the room even more highly charged.

"Emma, honey…your father and I just want to know what's going on. We're….well we're a little confused."

Emma almost cringed at the falsely sweet tone in her voice. If the sentiment had of been genuine Emma would have hugged Snow for being so understanding and open. Instead the hint of shrillness just below the surface of her mother's words set Emma's teeth on edge.

"Mom, Dad…" she began again, feeling like she was in some melodramatic teen movie. "Regina and I are together."

"We are?" came Regina's quick reply.

"Aren't we?" Emma's puzzlement was clear in her voice.

"Well we didn't really get a chance to talk about it after…"

"I know, I guess I just assumed. Sorry I…."

"No, it's okay, I'm not saying you're wrong I just thought we should…"

"Talk about it."

"Yes."

"So, does this count as talking about it?"

"I suppose so."

"Well I think we should be together. What do you think?"

"I…I guess… I would like that."

"Okay then, it's settled."

Charming and Snow had been watching the rapid fire exchange with bewilderment, too muddled to work up any rage over the topic of the women's discussion.

However as they ceased speaking Charming felt the twinge of anger spark inside him once more.

"So that's it, is it? You're just together now? Just like that!?"

Emma shrugged nonchalantly. "Pretty much," she said, unapologetically. She bit down the urge to immaturely follow this statement with a "You got a problem with that?" Clearly the man did have a problem with it and baiting him was not the way to get him over that problem.

"I don't accept that."

Emma heard a low growl issue from Regina's throat. She would have found it sexy if it weren't so terrifying.

Before anyone could say anything they'd live to regret, a cheerful voice issued from the window.

"What's going on?

Emma silently took back everything she'd ever said about Henry's timing. It was perfect. His presence was perfect - surely Charming and Snow wouldn't continue this conversation in front of him.

"Henry," came Charming's stern but affectionate voice. "Can you go back outside please? Your mother and I were in the middle of a discussion."

"About?"

Normally Henry's cheeky question would have made Charming laugh out loud. He would have been proud of his grandsons' boldness. This time it caused his face to draw into a tight scowl, a dark cloud brewing inside of him.

Henry noticed the change and took a step back, affronted. Like the do-gooder she was, Snow stepped up to try and smooth over the tension.

"Henry, sweetie, why don't you and I go and get something to eat?" she asked pleadingly. "Maybe grab an ice cream?"

For perhaps the first time in his life, something took precedence over Henry's stomach. He steeled himself, holding strong where he stood.

"No," he said firmly. "I want to know what's going on. Mom looks upset."

The room collectively noticed that he was looking straight at Regina as he said this. Once upon a time hearing that word come out of Henry's mouth and knowing that it wasn't directed at her would have pained Emma. Now it warmed her heart to know that the divides between Mother and son – divides she'd had a part in forging – were beginning to close.

Maybe this whole family thing could really work.

"I'm all right Henry," said Regina tightly.

His eyes narrowed. Henry was clearly displeased that he was being so obviously lied to but he didn't jump down Regina's throat about it. Both she and Emma took that as progress.

"Were you guys talking about Mom's being a couple now?"

If it were possible to get whiplash standing in one spot, Charming would have received a nasty case at that moment. He swung fiercely first in Henry's direction and then in Emma and Regina's.

"He knows!? You actually exposed your son to this?"

"Exposed him?! To what – his Mom and I being in a relationship? To us kissing?" Emma gestured an arm towards a gleeful looking Henry, whose smile had broken his face at Emma's mention of kissing. "Well, I can see why you're so worried right there. The kid's obviously traumatised."

Regina, who had stayed uncharacteristically quiet up until this point decided to get involved off the back of the look Charming shot Emma and the fury with which he began to open his mouth to respond. They may have been the bane of her existence but Regina had no desire for Emma to lose her family. She wouldn't have the guilt of that pressing on their relationship.

"Look, we're all a little thrown here. Why don't we…"

"What did you do to her?" Charming interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Regina's reply was slow and quiet, dangerous.

"A spell, a curse? What was it?"

Genuine hurt flashed in Regina's eyes. She quickly buried it, choosing instead to go for her old friend rage for comfort.

"How dare you!" She boomed, gathering all the queenly disdain she could muster.

"How dare I? How dare I!? You poison my daughter into thinking she's wants to be with you and you ask how dare I?"

"I wasn't poisoned…"

"Honey that was a little harsh…"

"I think your daughter is capable…"

"I just can't believe…."

"And for your information…."

The four adults shouted over each other, struggling to be the most dominant voice in the din. Half formed accusations and grunts of indignation permeated the air.

Somehow, projecting across all of it, rang the voice of the smallest person in the room.

"Hey, stop it!"

Maybe it was the disgust in his voice, or simply the reminder that they were behaving like this in front of him. Whatever it was Henry's call made them all fall silent, shamefaced.

"You shouldn't be fighting. This is a good thing. The curse, it's really broken now. Everyone is getting their happy ending."

"Henry, it's a little more complicated than that." Snow urged. "Regina, she…"

"I know – I know what she did to you. But she's not that person anymore. She's different."

Charming seemed to be trying to contain his anger in an effort to appease Henry.

"You can't know that Henry. We thought she'd changed before and we were wrong. You can't trust her. She's..."

"I'm not going to hurt her." Regina interjected softly.

Charming and Snow appeared startled at her gentle tone, their surprise giving her enough time to continue unopposed.

"I'm not going to lie and say that all we've been through is in the past. Or that we could ever be friends after everything that's happened. And I understand why you're worried but I'm not going to hurt Emma. You have to believe me."

"Why should we?" It was Snow this time, asserting her subdued but righteous anger over the situation. "You stole her childhood from us and now you want to steal her future and we're supposed to be okay with that?"

"Regina isn't stealing me!" Emma said with mild frustration. "We decided together that this is what we want."

"And we don't get any say?" asked Snow petulantly.

"No, you don't." Emma's words were matter of fact, said without anger. "Look more than anything I want us all to be a family. A bizarro, mismatched, really dysfunctional family. But if you guys can't get on board with this – then you don't have a place in my life. I'm sorry, that's just how it is."

"Emma..." Snow's small, heartbroken voice was holding back tears. Emma's own heart twinged with guilt that she was causing her mother pain but she knew that it had to be done.

"You know what, it's been a long, confusing day for all of us. Why don't Henry, Regina and I go back to Mifflin Street and give you guys a chance to...process. We can talk about this some other time right?"

Snow and Charming exchanged glances. They both knew that pursuing this would only push Emma away. Nothing good would come of continuing this fight today.

With the air of defeated man, Charming dropped his head.

And as angry as he'd made her, Emma couldn't leave her father looking so dejected. She took a step forward and touched him gently on the arm.

"I'll come back and see you soon...okay?"

Not trusting his voice Charming gave a curt nod and moved out of of the doorway to let Emma pass.

Grabbing Regina by the hand, Emma ushered her and Henry out of the apartment, shooting hopeful looks at her parents as she went.

Once outside both women visibly deflated, exhausted from the heated encounter that had come so hot on the heels of their own emotional revelations. Only Henry seemed unphased by it all. If anything he seemed more enthused and energetic than ever.

"I think they'll come around!" he buzzed.

"And how do you figure that kid?" Emma asked dryly.

"Well, no one drew a sword or punched anyone. And Mom, you didn't throw fireballs or anything. I mean, I think it went pretty well all in all."

Emma and Regina shared a disbelieving look over his head.

"Are you hearing this?" Emma asked.

Regina looked at Henry with mock disappointment, her affection shining through the facade. "He's always been infuriatingly optimistic. I thought he would have outgrown it by now but it must be genetic. He obviously didn't get it from me."

Emma smiled and tugged on Regina's hand. "I don't know about that. You're taking a chance on me, there must be an optimist in there somewhere."

"Must be the after effects of the curse. I'm still addled."

"Oh is that right?"

"Mmm..."

Henry's nose wrinkled with distaste. "Oh god," he whined. "Is this what it's going to be like from now on? You guys flirting and me gagging..."

Emma playfully swatted him across the head.

"Hey, you're the one who brought her here! And I hear the kiss was your suggestion too so you kind of brought this on yourself kid."

Regina shook her head at their antics. "Come on you two," she said. "Let's go home."

_Home,_ thought Emma. _That has a nice ring to it._

**Happy to have me back?**


	13. Dancing Through Life

Henry had fallen asleep about half way into the movie he'd insisted the three of them watch together. He was flopped between them now, his sleep leaden body draped heavily across the three seater sofa.

His head had dropped into Regina's lap as he'd started to doze while his feet, encased in white socks, had stretched out onto Emma.

Emma watched Regina run a hand through Henry's hair. She'd been tentative at first – afraid of waking him and also wondering if she was still afforded this motherly right. When he hadn't flinched or awoken Regina had relaxed and now the movement was fluid and calm, absent minded as she watched the rest of the film with mild interest.

Emma looked at the two of them, amazed that she was part of this cosy, domestic moment. Never in her life had she imagined that she would end up here - with a home and a family.

Feeling herself being watched, Regina pulled her eyes away from the screen - where the hero had just dropped three stories through a glass window only to roll away commando style completely unscathed. When she caught Emma openly staring in her direction, Regina raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"What?" she said, trying to infuse her voice with a royal tone. Instead her words stayed warm and low, coming from a place that was heading towards sleep.

"How come you get the cute end and I have to deal with these?" Emma teased, gesturing at Henry's feet.

"What's wrong with Henry's feet?" Regina asked playfully.

Emma rolled her eyes, enjoying the exaggerated banter that had become a staple of their relationship in the short time they'd been together. "They're feet! They're…ew."

"Very eloquent."

"Thank you. You know what I mean. They're…feet – sweaty, stinky, dirty."

"I can assure you our son's feet are none of those things. He's recently showered and I washed those socks myself."

"I guess."

"There's no need to guess dear, I'm telling you. Those are the cleanest feet in Maine."

Emma shook her head, amused.

"You don't believe me?" asked Regina challengingly.

"Oh no, I believe you," conceded Emma. "I also believe you're out of your mind."

In a wholly undignified and entirely adorable manner, Regina stuck her tongue out in Emma's direction. Emma let out a load, sputtering laugh that jostled and threatened to wake Henry. At Regina's insistent shooshing, Emma got herself under control.

"Man, you're lucky Henry's between us. If he wasn't I would have…."

"Would have what?"

"Would have taught you a lesson madam, that's what!"

Regina's eyes sparkled wickedly. "Promises, promises," she said in a throaty voice.

Emma threw a quick look at the sleeping boy in their laps and then brought her eyes back to Regina.

"Oh that's it," she warned. "Once I put him to bed you're gonna get it."

Regina stretched back in her chair in a distinctively cat like arch and let a small yawn escape. "Such assumptions. You could at least buy me dinner first," she joked.

Emma knew that it was all still part of the light hearted teasing they loved but Regina's words somehow found a mark to hit inside her.

Ever since the blow up at the apartment with her parents, Regina, Emma and Henry had been steering clear of the town and its people. Their decision had its benefits. The three of them had been given the time and space they needed to settle into their new life together, to form a routine and become comfortable in their roles.

This had happened surprisingly quickly, as though this life had already been set up and had been waiting patiently for them to find it.

But the self-imposed isolation had come with a cost. Regina and Emma, despite everything that they'd been through together, were a new couple. They should have been making out at the movies and sending each other cute messages during the day. They should have been missing each other after an hour apart and wondering when the next kiss would come.

Instead they had assembled into an immediate family. They were practically living together, raising their son and engaging in good hearted bickering whenever possible.

It had been amazing and comfortable and Emma had loved it – but what if Regina wanted more?

This was a woman who had grown up in the Enchanted Forest for god sakes! Maybe a night in front of the television didn't cut it for her. Did she expect fireworks and candles and starlight picnics? They'd never even been on a date!

Carefully repositioning Henry's legs, Emma leaned her upper body closer to Regina's.

"Hey," she began awkwardly. "Do you want to grab dinner with me tomorrow night?"

Again that smooth, dark eyebrow made itself known.

"We have dinner together every night," Regina pointed out.

"Yeah I know, I just thought we could maybe…I don't…go out or something. Like a restaurant."

"Don't you like my cooking?"

Emma squinted in confusion. "What, no. I mean yes – I love your cooking. I just thought it might be nice to go out for a change."

"Why?" Regina seemed genuinely confused.

"I don't know, to give you a break from cooking."

"I like cooking."

"I know you do; I just thought you might be getting tired of it."

"I'm not."

"And we could get a babysitter for Henry - so it'd just be the two of us."

"Well that's ridiculous. Henry needs to eat too, why shouldn't he eat with us?"

"Jesus Christ Regina - help me out here! I'm trying to ask you out on a date!"

Regina's dark eyes widened slightly. "Oh," she said softly.

Regina looked uncomfortable, shifting about in her seat and avoiding Emma's gaze. Emma waited for her to say something but she didn't. She just sat there, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else in the world.

"Unless you don't want to…?" Emma phrased the words like question, wanting to know what was going on in Regina's head.

Regina rushed to explain herself. "It isn't that!" she assured quickly. "I suppose I just assumed we were a little bit beyond the dating point."

Emma gave a sigh of relief. For a minute there she'd wondered whether Regina had been on the verge of changing her mind about them. "We are," agreed Emma. "Way beyond it. But I feel bad. I mean, you missed out on the entire wooing stage."

"The wooing stage," chuckled Regina. "And what exactly would being wooed by Emma Swan entail?"

"Oh you know, some gas station flowers, a couple of burgers on the hood of my car, us fooling around in the back seat. Romantic stuff."

"Mmmm…" Regina's pursed lips were barely holding back her smile. "I can't believe I missed out on all of that."

It was Emma's turn to stick her tongue out. She allowed herself to settle into the warmth of their affectionate argument before returning to the subject.

"I'm serious though Regina. You deserve all that nice dating stuff - and I want to give it to you."

Regina's heart swelled in a way that was painful and healing in equal parts. It'd been so long since anyone had cared about her like this, since anyone had thought she was worthy of such things.

"Thank you," she whispered gratefully.

Emma took one of her hands off Henry's legs and sought out Regina's. The brunette entwined her fingers with Emma's languidly, relishing in the skin on skin contact.

"So is that a yes then? To the date?" Emma asked.

"That is a yes," Regina confirmed.

Emma leant her upper body forward as far as it would go and angled in for a kiss. Regina met her halfway, pressing their lips gently together.

A low groan came from below them.

"Oh god, get a room will you?"

**So our girls are going on a date. I wonder how the townspeople will feel about that…**


End file.
